Summary
Mark Wahlberg’sPlay Dirtycan finally launch a franchise that three of his biggest co-stars failed to. When Wahlberg made the unlikely switch from rapper to movie star, he was balancing acclaimed dramas likeBoogie Nightswith B-movies likeThe Corrupter.Mark Wahlberg action moviessoon became a subgenre unto themselves and while in recent years he’s gravitated more towards family-friendly projects likeArthur the King, he’ll still dip back into R-rated action on occasion.
On that front, Wahlberg has two notable projects on the way. The first isFlight Risk, where Wahlberg takes on a rare villain role as a hitman posing as a pilot and attempting to kill a federal witness.Flight Riskis also helmed by hisDaddy’s Home 2co-star Mel Gibson, marking the latter’s first directorial effort since 2016’sHacksaw Ridge.Wahlberg also has heist moviePlay Dirtyfrom director Shane Blackon the horizon, casting the star as a vicious thief trying to pull off a big score.
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Mark Wahlberg as Parker
WhilePlay Dirtydoesn’t appear to be adapting a particular book, it’s based on the cultParkernovel seriesfrom Donald E. Westlake. The first novelThe Hunterfollowed Parker as he sought revenge against those who betrayed him following a heist gone wrong - including his wife. The book’s relentless pace, punchy writing and amoral anti-hero made it a surprise hit, and Westlake went on to pen over 20 novels featuring the character before his passing in 2008.
If the character sounds familiar, that’s becauseJason Statham failed to launch aParker franchisefollowing the 2013 thriller of the same name. Shane Black is a noted fan of old pulp paperbacks - asKiss Kiss Bang Bangor his Amazon pilotEdgeshould prove - and there couldn’t be a better director to bring Parker back to life. While Parker isn’t exactly a monster, he is borderline sociopathic and willing to hurt or kill anyone who gets in the way of his goals.
Donald E. Westlake penned theParkernovels under the pen name “Richard Stark,” which was a sly reference to the lean, stark writing style of the series.
AssumingPlay Dirtystays true to the character, the film andFlight Riskcould signal a move into darker roles for Wahlbergin future. TheParkerbooks have been adapted many times too, with the most famous beingThe HunteradaptationPoint Blackfrom 1967 with Lee Marvin. Nearly all of those movies sanded the harder edges off the thief, so it will be interesting to see just how rough Parker will be in Wahlberg’s hands.
Several Of Wahlberg’s Co-Stars Have Played Parker Onscreen
From Robert Duvall’s Macklin to Mel Gibson’s Porter
Three of Mark Wahlberg’s former co-stars have played versions of Parker, including Robert Duvall in The Outfit, Mel Gibson in Payback and Jason Statham in Parker.
Westlake may have optioned books likeThe Hunterto producers, but unless they agreed to make a series of films, he refused to let them use the name Parker too. That’s why Marvin’sPoint Blackprotagonist was renamed “Walker,” for instance.Statham’sParkerwas the first time an attempt was truly made to build a series of films, but the film was a box-office disappointment. In total, three of Wahlberg’s former co-stars have played versions of Parker, including Robert Duvall in 1973’sThe Outfit, Mel Gibson inPaybackand Statham inParker.
Wahlberg and Duvall worked together inWe Own The Night, Statham was his co-star inThe Italian Jobwhile he and Gibson have worked together several times. Of those three actors, it appears only Statham’s take was created with sequels in mind. Even so,hadPaybackbeen a bigger hit in 1999, it’s easy to see Warner Bros nudging Gibson towards a sequel. The thirdParkerbookThe Outfitis a direct sequel toThe Hunterand would have made a great starting point for aPaybacksequel.
Paybackdirector Brian Helgeland was removed from the project during post-production by Gibson after refusing to helm reshoots to add action scenes and make Porter more sympathetic; Helgeland’s Director’s CutPayback: Straight Uplater arrived in 2006.
The Outfitalso served as the source novel for the 1973 Robert Duvall movie of the same name. Considering franchises were few and far between during this time, it’s doubtful anyone involved - including Duvall - gave much thought to anOutfitsequel.The Statham, Gibson and Duvall movies all had intriguing spins on Parker as a character too; Statham’s Parker was tweaked to suit his action persona, whereas Gibson’s Porter could be violent and tough but he also had a sense of humor and a romantic subplot.
Why None Of The Past Parker Movies Have Spawned A Franchise
The chances of Payback 2: Paid in Full were always remote
Just like Statham’sParkerbefore it,Play Dirtyis being set up with a potential series in mind. Despite being based on a popular series of crime books,Parker as a character is a tough sell to mainstream audiences. InThe Hunter, he’s practically the Terminator, punching and shooting his way through the criminal underworld to recover a relatively modest amount of money. There is even a passage where he accidentally kills an innocent woman, but instead of feeling guilt or shame, he’s irritated with himself for letting such an unprofessional thing happen.
Payback was better received and came during the movie star peak of Gibson’s career, but unlike the Lethal Weapon saga, the movie and the character were too edgy to attract audiences back for more.
Audiences might be drawn to anti-heroes, butParker is so cold and humorless that softening him for a movie adaptation is almost essential. The Statham movie didn’t land a sequel because it received a tepid critical response (standing at 41% onRotten Tomatoes) and earned just over $46 million worldwide. The film didn’t do justice to the character either, and more than that, felt like any number of action programmers the star fronted around this period likeSafe.
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Paybackwas better received and came during Gibson’s movie star peak, but unlike theLethal Weaponsaga, the film and Porter were just too edgy to attract audiences back for more. The same is true for Duvall’sThe Outfit, and even if this tough thriller had been an oversized success, the odds of a follow-up were always slim.
Play Dirty Could Be The Movie That Finally Cracks The Character
Shane Black’s Parker adaptation could unlock the thief for mainstream audiences
Little has been revealed aboutPlay Dirtyso far, including how accurate it will be to Westlake’s work. Given that Black is such a fan of the series, it’s doubtful he would be aiming to make a family-friendly, PG-13 riff on the property.Black has such a gift for character and action thatPlay Dirtyhas every chance of being a successwhen it arrives. The writer/director has also proven time and again with screenplays likeLethal WeaponorThe Last Boy Scout that he can write flawed, sometimes unlikeable protagonists that viewers can still root for.
Play Dirtywas originally developed with Robert Downey Jr in mind, with Wahlberg stepping into the Parker role when he dropped out. The film could be a great move for Wahlberg, and one that allows him to merge his action persona with a more morally ambiguous role. It will be a tricky tonal balance for both director and star, butPlay Dirtycould very well lead to Wahlberg being the first actor to play Parker more than once.
Play Dirty
Cast
Play Dirty is a film adaptation centered on Parker, a professional thief character created by Donald E. Westlake. The movie intricately explores Parker’s criminal pursuits, drawing from Westlake’s renowned literary creation.
